Richard Wayne Butler known as "Rick" to all of his friends passed away on the afternoon of Dec. 9, 2017, near his home on the Klamath River. He was born in Chanute, Kansas, to Charles and Margaret Butler on Feb. 3, 1944. He came to California when his father took a job at Alameda Naval Air Station, with his mother, older sister, Viretta and older brother, Edward. They settled in the Lafayette area, where he spent his childhood.
He got much of his mechanical abilities when working with his father on their family cars over the years. He graduated from Acalanes High school in 1962 and was on the wrestling team for all four years. Rick proudly served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, as an aircraft crewman. He loved to hunt and was an avid shot and water skier well into his 30s. He moved to Yreka as a young man, having bought land from his uncle Melvin, on the Klamath River in the mid 1970s. where he built his home known as Butler’s Bend.
He worked in Yreka for Jim Wilson Ford and then opened his own shop known as Siskyou Safety Center where he was a front end alignment specialist but was a very capable mechanic, willing and able to take on any challenge and was sought after by many muscle car owners throughout northern California for his mechanical abilities. In 1992, a friend talked him into building a WW II Chevrolet Long Range Desert Group truck, which started him on another career of' restoring military vehicles. His build truck won many awards at military conventions and meets. He was very active in the Southern Oregon Military Vehicle Collectors Association, along with the Military Vehicle Collectors of California and the national organization Military Vehicle Preservation Association. He was a founding member of the Long Range Desert group Preservation Society. Rick was a past president of the Greenhorn Grange, an honorary member of the Republican Women, Montague Preservation, Montague Merchants, American Legion Post 122, and the NRA.
He was very involved with the Veterans of Siskiyou County. He would always put up the big military tent at Jackson Street School for the Christmas parade and supply doughnuts, coffee and hot chocolate for everyone. He would organize all of this and also have the veterans ride with him in the parade on the Desert Truck. He was preceded in death by his Dad, Morn, sister and brother. He leaves his nieces, nephews and many good friends. He will be missed!
Marilla J. Watts (Whitney)
Here is the obituary as found on his memorial page
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205106399/richard-wayne-butler
Richard Wayne Butler, of Hornbrook
Richard Wayne Butler known as "Rick" to all of his friends passed away on the afternoon of Dec. 9, 2017, near his home on the Klamath River. He was born in Chanute, Kansas, to Charles and Margaret Butler on Feb. 3, 1944. He came to California when his father took a job at Alameda Naval Air Station, with his mother, older sister, Viretta and older brother, Edward. They settled in the Lafayette area, where he spent his childhood.
He got much of his mechanical abilities when working with his father on their family cars over the years. He graduated from Acalanes High school in 1962 and was on the wrestling team for all four years. Rick proudly served in the Navy during the Vietnam War, as an aircraft crewman. He loved to hunt and was an avid shot and water skier well into his 30s. He moved to Yreka as a young man, having bought land from his uncle Melvin, on the Klamath River in the mid 1970s. where he built his home known as Butler’s Bend.
He worked in Yreka for Jim Wilson Ford and then opened his own shop known as Siskyou Safety Center where he was a front end alignment specialist but was a very capable mechanic, willing and able to take on any challenge and was sought after by many muscle car owners throughout northern California for his mechanical abilities. In 1992, a friend talked him into building a WW II Chevrolet Long Range Desert Group truck, which started him on another career of' restoring military vehicles. His build truck won many awards at military conventions and meets. He was very active in the Southern Oregon Military Vehicle Collectors Association, along with the Military Vehicle Collectors of California and the national organization Military Vehicle Preservation Association. He was a founding member of the Long Range Desert group Preservation Society. Rick was a past president of the Greenhorn Grange, an honorary member of the Republican Women, Montague Preservation, Montague Merchants, American Legion Post 122, and the NRA.
He was very involved with the Veterans of Siskiyou County. He would always put up the big military tent at Jackson Street School for the Christmas parade and supply doughnuts, coffee and hot chocolate for everyone. He would organize all of this and also have the veterans ride with him in the parade on the Desert Truck. He was preceded in death by his Dad, Morn, sister and brother. He leaves his nieces, nephews and many good friends. He will be missed!